Hydroaeroplane.



C..L. HUDLERx HYDROAEROPLANE.

APPUCATION FILED JULY 24. wur.

1,268,77 9. Patented Jun@ 4,1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

W'tnesstes Invenfor by WW #m conveniently grasped and actuated by the aviator.

Connected to and extending laterally from the upper portion of the mast E' is a truss spar 17 which may he similar in constrtic tion to the spars l and i' and n ith the strips constituting said spa r placed with thciredges to the wind. The spar 17 is not stralght from end to end but is hei-,nt at its center so that said spar will extend upwardly and outwardly' 'from a point midway between the spars of the mast 7, the outer ends' of the spar 17 being substantially in vertical alinement with the outer ends of the spur 1.

Secured to they .sp-ars 'l and 17 are parallel normally vertical tie strips 18 termed of narrow flat metal strips placed edge to the wind. The upper portions of these tie strips, may be provided above the har 175 with guy wires which are extended along converging lines to the upper portion of the mast 'i' where they are projected into and soldered or otherwise secured within the slots 1Q in the slides 11. These converging )ort ions or ys have been indicated at 19. y y provid- 1n this arrangement it will he apparent that wien the slides 11 are adjusted toward the head 9 by ineens of the holts l?. the converging strips 1t) will be drawn taut and likewise draw taut the tie strips 18 between the spars 1 and 17. Additional tie strips 20 may ho interposed hetween and parallel with the tic strips i8 and. like the strips li. placed with their front edges; to the wind so that these strips 'I8 and *lll can thus eut freely through the air.

Erectcd on the front portion ot' the body 3 is a frame E51 runde up of upwardly converging truss beams constructed in the same manner the spars 1 and 17 and constitutin a support for the shaft ol a prope ler 23, this shaft receiflnlg1r motion through any suitable mechanism indicated generally at 24 from a motor .55 carried by the body 3.

Arranged below the spar 17 and parallel with it are superposcd sustaining planes '26 which are relatively narrow from front to rear but which extend throughout the length of the ar 17 and are arranged one directly above lic other as shown particularly in Fig. 3. These sustaining planes can he made of flat strips of metal made very thin and as Shown in Figs. 6 and T, said strip being attached to the tic strips 1S and 2U hy angle strips 2T or in any other suitable manner. 0r. if preferred. each of the sustainixag planesV can describe an elongated ogre@ curve as indicated at 28 in Fig. 11. the front porn tion of each plane being inclined upwardly and forwardly at a slight angle while the rear portion is inclined downwardly and rearwardly.

Mounted on the rear portion of the body 3 an upwardly and rearwardly inclined truss frame 29 similar to the truss freine 2l and having the edges of its various st rips arranged so as to cut through the lair. Theuppcr portion of this frame 29 has a pivot shaft. 3() extended rearwardly therefrom, said shaft being extended through a truss frame 31 which likewise may bc constructed as shown in Fig. 9 and :is shown at l and 17 in Fig. l. Extending laterally from this truss frame and forwardlyV and rearwardly therefrom are superposed planes 3'2 connected b vertical planes 33 which coperate Wit the planes thus to forma cellular taii plane. As the tail planes aro adapted to rotate upon the shaft 30 and said shaft is adapted to swing laterallyI thus by connecting controlling cords 34 to the top, bottom and sides of the tail plane., the said tail plane can be. swung upwardly or downwardly and to either Side thus to elevate, lower and hori zontally steer the machine.

As shown in Fig. il, guys 35 can hc extended from the front and rear portions o the body 3 upwardly to the top of the. mast. thus to steady the mast and hold it rigid relative to the body El.

lt is a well settled fact that the first si); inches or more ot' they surface. of a sustaining plane is the moet.. effective portion of the `plane in the displacement of the air and with this principle in mind the present machine has been deviseds the saine using:r sustaining planes which are relatively nar row from front to rcar but which are of the saine eliicicncy iractically as ordinary planes of the same iireadth. By superposingr the planes as shown in Figs. l and 3 a greatly increased lifting power is obtained because the lifting surface and consequent downward displacement of air is materially increased. By having the planes braced and connected by the vertical parallel stri s a very rigid structure is obtained and t e sustaining ianes can he set at the desired angle to e ect an ascent or descent, by tilting the tail plane. By having the sustaining planes extended along upwardly diverging lines, the machine, if tilted, will produce an increasing displacement on the lower side until the planes at that side reach horizontal positions. The downward displacement at the other side of the machine will be proportionately diminished so that the machine will thus automatically he restored to its point of equilibrium. This lateral tilting will furthermore he otl'set hy the stahilizingi,r planey 13 and` should the machine be tilted to a dangerous extent toward one side. the aileron l-l can he shifted toward said side thus to prevent an increased opposition tothe liight :ind cause the machine to swing bodily haelt to itsy n'iright 'iosition. A structure when made as described can be formed entirely of metal. the sustainingr planes, the trusses and the spacing and tying strips all being formed of thin lat pieces of metal.

Obviously, however, can be made of .canvas or other abric. Furthermore the construction of the trusses cari Abe changed, it merely being necessary to so made of two arallel strips 36 and a single ing above the spars, said spare and interposed si e strip 37 arranged in zig-zag form. Various other arrangements of the parts canbe provided to meet diierent conditions or` requirements.

In Fig. 13 a modified form of sustainin plane has been illustrated. In this form 0% device the canvas or other fabric stretched between two truss spars, the canvas body being indicated at 38.while the truss spars are indicated at 39 and 40. These two spars are arran ed at different levels so that the canvas bo y can be attached to bottom of one of them and to the top of the other. The two spars may be connected by an angle strip 41 or in any other suitable manner. This construction of sustaining plane can be utilized whenever it is desired to employ canvas instead of metal planes.

lVhat is claimed isz- 1. A fiying machine including a transverse spar comprising a truss made up of upper and lower fiat strips and interposed connected flat strips, all of the strips being adapted to cut through the air, a superstructure upon the truss made up of thin strips connected together and adapted to cut through the air during the forward movement of the machine, and superposed sustaining planes carried by the superstructure.

A flying'n'iachine including u per and lower spars, a mast connecting an projectmast cach comprising parallel flat metal strips and interposed connecting flatstrips, said strips coperating to form trusses and all of the strips being arranged to cut through the, air during the forward movement of the machine, fiat tie strips placed with thei t front edges to the wind and connecting th upper and lower spars, and superposed sustaining planes connected to the tie strips and between the spars.

A ,fiying machine including upper and lower spar-s` a mast "onnecting and projecting above the spars. said spars and mast each comprising parallel flat metal strips and interposed connecting flat strips, said strip.-` rfiperating to form trusses and al of ilu strips being arranged to cut through 'e ir during the forward movement of the innhinv. fiat tic strips placed with their y if 'desired the planeS the air and to allovLthe y upper and lower spars, and su body of the plane is formed of 4and ada ted to swing latera front edges, to the wind and connectin the upper and lower spars, and su erpose sustaining planes connected to t e tie strips and between the spars, said sustaining planes diverging upwardly along straight Ines.

4. A dying machine including u per and lower spars, a mast connecting an projecting above the 'spars, said spare and mast each comprising parallel flat metal strips and interposed connecting fiat strips, sa1d strips coperating to form trusses and all of the strips'being arranged to cut throu h the airwduring the forward movement of t e machine, Hat tie strips placed with their front edges to the wind and connecting the )e1-posed sustaining planes connected to tie tie strips and between the spars, saidr sustaining planes diverging upwardly along straight lines, guys extending from the upper spar to the upper portion of the mast, and means for taking up the slack within the guys.

5. A flying machine including lpper and lower spars, a mast connecting an projecting above the spars, said Vspars andfmaet each comprising paralleLintmetal Vstrips and an interposed connecting flat strip, said f strips coperating to form trussesfand all of the strips being arranged to cut through the air during the forward movement of the machine, flat tie strips placed with their front edges to the wind and connecting theA upper and lower spars, and superposed sustamlng planes connected tothe tie strips and between the spars, said sustaining lanes diverging upwardly along straight ines, guys extending from the upper spar to the upper portion of the mast, and means for taking up slack within the ys, 'a stabilizing plane upstandin from t e mast andextending longitudine. ly of the machine, and an aileron hingedlr connected to ly relative to the stabi izing plane. f

6. A iying machine including upper and lower spars, a mast connecting and extending' above the spars, said s ars and mast each consisting. of arallel at strips, con necting fiat strips interposed between said parallel strips and coperating therewith to form a truss` the front edges of the strips being extended in the direction of the line of Hight, superposed sustaining planes interposed between the spars, and extending in opposite direction from the mast theplanes at the two sides of the mast diverging upwardly along straight lines, a body rigidly Inonnted on the lowest bar and straddled by the mast, a cellular tail plane movably connected'to the rear portion of the body, and means for shifting the tail plane upwardly, downwardly and laterally to control the direction of Hight.

7. A flying machine including upper andv abl lower sparsi, a mast connecting and extending above the spare, said s ars and mast each consisting of parallel at strips, a connecting flat strip interposed between said parallel strips and cooperating therewith lo form a truss, the front'edges of the strips being extended in a direction of the line of flight, superposed sustaining planes interposed between the spurs, and extending in opposite direction from the mast, the planes at the two sides of the mast diver ing upwardly along straight lilies, a bo y rigidly mounted on the lower bar and straddled by the mast, e cellular tail plane movconnected to the rear portion of the bo( y, and means for ehiftin the tail plane upwardly, downwardl and aterally to control the direction of t e Hight, a stabilizing plane extending vertically above the mast and fixed relative thereto, an aileron hingedly connected to said plane and movable about a vertical axis, and means for shifting the aileron.

1,nes,17o

8. A flying machine including upper and lower spurs Aextending transversel of the line of flight, a mast connecting tllie spurs, said mast and the spars each consisting of flat metal strips placed edge to the wind and assembled to form trusses and upwardly and outwardly divergng series of sustaining planes extendin in opposite directions from the mast and etween the spars, said `planes bein superposed and each plane dcfining an eongated ogee curve extending downwardly from front to rear.

9. A lyin machine including fiat metal strips lace edge to the wind and assemble to form connected trusses, and a sustaining plane connected to these trusses and defining an ogee curve extending downwardly from front to rear.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signa-` ture.

CHARLES L. H UDLER, 

